Molten metal pouring mechanism including a relatively movable ladle and boot assembly



Dec. 19, 1967 R w. TACCONE 3,358,887

MOLTEN METAL POURING MECHANISM INCLUDING A RELATIVELY MOVABLE LADLE AND BOOT ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 23, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet l 50 #5 INVENTOR. 4 RUSSELL w mc'coAlE J MM ATTORNEYS Dec. 19, 1967 R w. TACOCONE MOIJTBN METAL POURINO MECHANISM INCLUDING A RELATIVELY Filed Oct. 23, 1965 MOVABLE LADLE AND BOOT ASSEMBLY 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3

INVENTOR.

RUSSEK L 14 TACC'O/VE' Dec. 19, 1967 R. w. TACCONE 3,358,387 MOLTEN METAL POURING MECHANISM INCLUDING A RELATIVELY MOVABLE LADLE AND BOOT ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 23, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. RUSSELL W 727 (CONE Dec. 19, 1967 R. w. TACCONE 3,358,887

MOLTEN METAL POURING MECHANISM INCLUDING A RELATIVELY MOVABLE LADLE AND BOOT ASSEMBLY 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 23, 1965 E IN VENTOR. RUSS-ELL W. TA CC'O/VE 736 74 BY 2 M E i I United States Patent ware Filed Oct. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 502,918 12 Claims. (Cl. 222166) This invention relates to pouring mechanism for molten metal, and more particularly to a pouring station for use in a centrifugal casting machine.

The general object of the present invention is to improve centrifugal casting machines, and more especially machines for the casting of soil pipe. In usual practice a core is set in one end of the mold, the mold is spun, the molten metal is poured, the mold and resulting cast pipe are cooled, the solidified pipe is pulled from the mold, and the inside of the mold is sprayed with a suitable protective coating. A main object of the invention is to provide an improved pouring station for such centrifugal casting machines.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a pouring station for use in a machine of the type disclosed in my companion application Ser. No. 502,917, filed on even date herewith, and entitled, Centrifugal Casting Machine.

In this case the pouring station needs a boot which may be moved into or out of one end of the mold, and it needs a ladle which receives a measured quantity of molten metal preliminary to pouring the same through the boot into the spinning mold. The pouring station preferably should have a sequence of operation in which the boot is advanced to pouring position before the ladle is tilted, and the ladle is returned to rest position before the boot is retracted, thus insuring safe discharge into the mold. A further object of the present invention is to accomplish these things in a simple dependable way by means of a single actuator, preferably a conventional hydraulic cylinder.

The casting machine of my aforesaid companion application is a double machine, that is, two collateral molds are simultaneously spun and poured, and in accordance with a further feature and object of the invention, the aforesaid single actuator serves to simultaneously move two boots, and to simultaneously tilt two ladles, in proper sequence, for the simultaneous casting of two pipes.

To accomplish the foregoing objects, and other objects which will hereinafter appear, my invention resides in the pouring station elements and their relation one to another as are hereinafter more particularly described in the following specification. The specification is accompanied by drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation explanatory of a centrifugal casting machine in which the present pouring station may be used;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a ladles and two boots;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary section through a pipe mold, with a boot advanced to the spigot end of the mold;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken approximately on the line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a vertical section taken approximately on the stepped line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an elevation showing the boot advanced to pouring position, before tilting of the ladle;

FIG. 7 is a similar elevation showing the subsequent tilting of the ladle to pouring position;

FIG. 8 shows a feature of the boot; and

FIG. 9 shows a feature of the ladle.

pouring station having two Patented Dec. 19, 1967 Referring to the drawing and more particularly to FIG. 1, the machine of my aforesaid patent application Ser. No. 502,917, comprises a shuttle track generally designated 12, with two shuttle cars one of which is indicated at 14. There is a core setting station which is omitted in FIG. 1. A pour station generally designated 20 is located at the other side of the track 12 midways between the ends. There are two pulling stations, one of which is suggested at 22, on one side of the track 12, one near each end of the track. There are two mold spray stations one of which is suggested at 26, on the other side of the track 12, at points opposite the pulling stations. Each shuttle car has a pipe mold 3i) resting on pairs of spin wheels 32 and 34. In practice the operation preferably is doubled and additional spin wheels are provided, receiving a second mold which is collateral to the mold 30. In such case the core setting station, the pour station, the pull stations, and the spray stations all are double stations for simultaneous operation on the two molds carried on one shuttle car or the other.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary section through mold 30, and

' shows how it is permanently partly closed at one end by means of a dam 36, and is temporarily partly closed at the other end by means of a destructible sand core 38. The dam 36 and core 38 confine the molten metal until it solidifies as indicated at 48. The mold has a spin band 42 which rests on one pair of spin wheels, and spaced therefrom it has another spin band, not shown in FIG. 3 but indicated at 44 in FIG. I, which rests on another pair of spin wheels. FIG. 3 also shows how the lower discharge end 46 of a boot 50 is received somewhat inside the darn 36 during the pouring operation. The boot usually is made of cast iron and is coated on the inside with graphite or other such protective coating. It will be evident that in order to atford the travel of the shuttle cars between the pour station and the pull station, the boot 50 must be retracted when not in use. It is also retracted to facilitate swabbing it with graphite or equivalent at frequent intervals.

Referring now to FIG. 4 of the drawing, the pour station comprises boot 50 pivoted at 52 for movement of its lower discharge end 46 between a forward pouring position not shown in FIG. 4 and the retracted position shown. It further comprises a tiltable ladle 54 disposed with its pivot 56 and its spout 58 near the boot. The ladle may be made of welded steel plate, heavily lined with fireclay or other refractory lining 55. There is a single actuator 60, preferably an hydraulic cylinder with a piston and piston rod 62 of conventional type, so connected between the boot 50 and the ladle 54, as later described in detail, that operation of the actuator in one direction advances the boot and tilts the ladle to pour its contents into the boot. This action will be seen by reference to FIG. 7 in which boot 50 has been turned forward about its pivot 52, and ladle 54 has been tilted up on its pivot 56, by extension of the actuator 60, 62.

The boot 54 (FIG. 4) is light in weight relative to the ladle 54, and, with its frame 184, is relatively balanced on its pivot 52, whereas the ladle 54 is heavy and wholly unbalanced, its pivot 56 being at one end. In consequence the boot 50 is advanced as shown in FIG. 6, when the actuator 60 begins its movement, and before the ladle 54 is at all raised. Then and only after the boot has been advanced as shown in FIG. 6, is the ladle tilted upward as shown in FIG. 7. Conversely, upon operation of the actuator in reverse direction the ladle 54 is lowered to the position shown in FIG. 6 before the boot 50 is at all retracted. This sequence insures safe discharge of the molten metal into the mold 30.

Reverting to FIG. 4, there is a preferably adjustable motion limit stop 62 to limit the advance of the boot; another and preferably adjustable motion limit stop 64 to limit the retraction of the boot; and still another and preferably adjustable stop 66 which limits the lowering of the ladle 54.

Because each shuttle car carries a pair of collateral molds, the pouring station preferably has two boots and two ladles, and this will be seen by reference to FIGS. 2 and 5 showing the ladles 54 and 54', and the boots and 50. The lining 55 is indicated in only one of the ladles (54) but is used in both. In the present structure a single actuator serves for both boots and both ladles.

Because the boots are made of cast iron which deteriorates despite coating with graphite, and because the refractory lining of the ladles must be renewed from time to time, and also because two boots and two ladles are to be moved by a single actuator, it is preferred to mount the boots detachably in a pivoted frame, and to mount the ladles detachably in a pivoted frame, and to connect the actuator to the pivoted frames rather than directly to the boots and ladles.

For convenience in mounting the boots in their frame, each boot preferably is provided with a pair of sidewardly projecting fiat ears or flanges shown at in FIG. 8. Similarly by reference to FIG. 9 it will be seen that each ladle 54 is provided with sidewardly projecting support flanges 72.

The construction may be described next in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 2, 4 and 5 of the drawing. The station comprises a fixed base 74 with upstanding fiat sides or pedestals 76. At their upper ends the pedestals 76 carry split bearings 78 for the trunnion portions 56 of a main support rod 80. As is best shown in FIG. 5 this has welded to it three frame members 82, 84 and 86 which are disposed edgewise and which extend rearward from the rod 80, and which are connected at the rear as shown at 88 in FIGS, 2 and 4. The center member 84 (FIGS. 2 and 5) is enlarged downward as shown at 90 in FIG. 4, to receive a clevis pin 91 which connects it to the piston rod 62 of the actuator 60.

The outwardly projecting flanges 72 of the ladles rest on flat supports 92, 94 and 96 (FIGS. 2 and 5) welded on top of the respective edgewise frame bars 82, 84 and 86. The ladles are located and held against forward movement by locating blocks 97, secured to the top supports 92. 94 and 96. The ladles are secured in position, as by means of screws or bolts 98 passing through the flanges 72 and received in the top supports.

The stop 66 (FIG. 4) which limits the downward movement of the ladle to desired horizontal position bears against the lower edge of the depending arm 90 previously referred to. The stop is a screw threadedly received in the upper end of a bracket 100, and the adjustment may be locked by means of a lock nut. The bracket 100 is welded to a cross bar 102, in the form of an angle iron which also serves as a stiffening strut for the pedestal walls 76, because bar 102 extends all the way across the frame. The pedestal walls 76 are stiffened by webs 77 (FIGS. 4 and 5) and are spaced by an angle iron 79 extending between their upper ends directly over the top ends of the webs 77.

The boots 50 are carried by another frame which comprises a plate 104 (FIG 2 and 4) turned downward at its rear edge as shown at 106, to stiffen the same. The plate is cut away as indicated at 108 in FIG, 2 to receive the boots, the fianges 70 of the boots resting on top of the plate 104. The flanges are secured in position by means of outer clamps 110 and 112, and inner clamps 114 and 116. These are all tightened by appropriate screws. The precise location of the boots may be adjusted by means of adjusting screws 11S (FIGS. 2 and 4) received in brackets secured to the bottom of plate 104.

The pivots 52 of the boot frame are trunnions formed on blocks 122 (FIG. 5) which are welded beneath the ends of plate 104. The trunnions are received in split bearings 124 the lower halves of which are secured, as by welding, to the forward portions of the side plates 76 of the frame.

The middle of the tiltable plate 104 carries a depending actuating arm 126 (FIG. 4). In the particular structure here shown there is a pair of arms 126, 126' (FIG. 5) which could be welded to the bottom of plate 104, but which in the present case are bolted at 128 to an ear 130 which is welded to plate 104. The upper ends of the arms 126 are preferably wide (see FIG. 4) and may abut the plate 104, because the arms and plate are fixedly connected and turn in unison.

The lower end of arm 126 is connected by means of a pin 132 (FIGS. 4 and 5) to the upper end of a lever 134, the lower end of which is pivoted on the base at 136. One of the two members, in this case the double arm 126, is slotted as shown at 133 to compensate for angularity during oscillation. Pin 136 is carried in bearings 138 secured to a bottom 139, as by welding, and bottom 139 is secured to base 74, as by means of screws or bolts.

The lower end of the actuator 60 is clevis-mounted at 140 on the lever 134. It will be evident from comparison of FIGS. 4, 6 and 7 that extension of the actuator moves lever 134 to the left until it engages stop 62, thus oscillating the plate 104 and the boots 50 carried thereby to the position shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Further extension of the actuator then lifts the frame carrying the ladles 54, as shown in FIG. 7.

The cyilnder 60 is a double acting cylinder having a port 146 (FIG. 4) at one end, and a port 148 at the other end. These are supplied through flexible hoses, not shown.

Stop 62 is carried on a bracket 142 welded to the base 139, and stop 64 is carried on a bracket 144 which similarly is welded to the base 139, the latter being secured to the main base 74.

Although not so shown, the ladles 54 and 54 may be arranged for a weighing operation, with an alarm to show when the desired amount of metal has been poured into each ladle from a suitable holding ladle of larger size (not shown. The mold 30 is cooled during the pouring operation, as by water spray means, not shown. The sand core 38 (FIG. 3) may be held in position by conventional means, not shown.

It is believed that the construction and operation of my improved pouring station, as well as the advantages thereof, will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description. Two boots and two ladles are both moved by a single actuator, and they are moved in properly timed sequence, the boot being put into position before any metal is poured, and the pouring of metal being safely terminated before the boot is retracted. The boots are retracted a substantial amount for swabbing with graphite or other protective coating, and are readily removable for replacement. The ladles are readily removable for relining with refractory material.

It will be apparent that while I have shown and described the invention in a preferred form, changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as sought to be defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A pouring station comprising a boot pivoted for movement of its lower discharge end between a forward pouring position and a retracted position, a tiltable ladle disposed with its pivot and spout near the upper end of the boot, and a single actuator so connected between the boot and the ladle that operation of the actuator advances the boot and tilts the ladle to pour its contents into the boot.

2. A pouring station comprising a boot pivoted for movement of its lower discharge end between a forward pouring position and a retracted position, a tiltable ladle disposed with its pivot and spout near the upper end of the boot, and a single actuator so connected between the boot and the ladle that operation of the actuator in one direction advances the boot and tilts the ladle to pour its contents into the boot, said boot being relatively light, and said ladle being heavy, so that the boot is advanced before the ladle is tilted, and upon operation of the actuator in reverse direction the ladle is lowered before the boot is retracted.

3. In a centrifugal casting machine for casting iron pipe, at pouring station comprising a boot pivoted for movement of its lower discharge end between a forward pouring position and a retracted position, a tiltable ladle disposed with its pivot and spout near the upper end of the boot, and a single actuator comprising a hydraulic cylinder, piston and piston rod so connected between the boot and the ladle that operation of the actuator advances the boot and tilts the ladle to pour its contents into the boot.

4. In a centrifugal casting machine for casting iron pipe, a pouring station comprising a boot pivoted for movement of its lower discharge end between a forward pouring position and a retracted position, a tiltable ladle disposed with its pivot and spout near the upper end of the boot, and a single actuator comprising an hydraulic cylinder, piston and piston rod so connected between the boot and the ladle that operation of the actuator in one direction advances the boot and tilts the ladle to pour its contents into the boot, said boot being relatively light and balanced, and said ladle being heavy and unbalanced, so that the boot is advanced before the ladle is tilted, and upon operation of the actuator in reverse direction the ladle is lowered before the boot is retracted.

5. A pouring station as defined in claim 1 in which there is a stop to limit the advance of the boot, another stop to limit retraction of the boot, and another stop to limit lowering of the ladle.

6. A pouring station as defined in claim 2 in which there is an adjustable stop to limit the advance of the boot, another adjustable stop to limit the retraction of the boot, and another adjustable stop to limit the lowering of the ladle.

7. A pouring station as defined in claim 3 in which there is a stop to limit the advance of the boot, another stop to limit retraction of the boot, and another stop to limit lowering of the ladle.

8. A pouring station as defined in claim 4 in which there is an adjustable stop to limit the advance of the boot, another adjustable stop to limit the retraction of the boot, and another adjustable stop to limit the lowering of the ladle.

9. A pouring station as defined in claim 1 in which there is a pair of boots, and a pair of ladles, one ladle for each boot, and in which the single actuator has. means connecting it at one end to both boots, and means connecting its other end to both ladles, in order to simultaneously advance both boots and to simultaneously tilt both ladles.

10. A pouring station as defined in claim 2 in which there is a pair of boots, and a pair of ladles, one ladle for each boot, and in which the single actuator has means connecting it at one end to both boots, and means connecting its other end to both ladles, in order to simultaneously advance both boots and to simultaneously tilt both ladles.

11. A pouring station as defined in claim 3 in which there is a pair of boots, one for each of two collateral pipe molds, and a pair of ladles, one ladle for each boot, and in which the single actuator has means connecting it at one end to both boots, and means connecting its other end to both ladles, in order to simultaneously advance both boots and to simultaneously tilt both ladles.

12. A pouring station as defined in claim 4 in which there is a pair of boots, one for each of two collateral pipe molds, and a pair of ladles, one ladle for each boot, and in which the single actuator has means connecting it at one end to both boots, and means connecting its other end to both ladles, in order to simultaneously advance both boots and to simultaneously tilt both ladles.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,905,204 4/1933 Zinno 222l66 2,495,541 l/1950 Nolan 222l66 2,744,670 5/1956 Bendot 222l66 X 2,872,058 2/1959 Doepke et al 222l66 X WALTER SOBIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A POURING STATION COMPRISING A BOOT PIVOTED FOR MOVEMENT OF ITS LOWER DISCHARGE END BETWEEN A FORWARD POURING POSITION AND A RETRACTED POSITION, A TILTABLE LADLE DISPOSED WITH ITS PIVOT AND SPOUT NEAR THE UPPER END OF THE BOOT, AND A SINGLE ACTUATOR SO CONNECTED BETWEEN THE BOOT AND THE LADLE THAT OPERATION OF THE ACTUATOR ADVANCES 